Anyone have people living in "compounds", around them?

[NNN0LHI]

I have a few of these wackadoodles living around me. The entire property surrounded by 6-8 foot fences like they are preparing for Obama to come get their guns at any moment or something. I swear I have some around here in northern Illinois. Nothing like what I seen in the Michigan U.P. on a trip there once. They had what looked to be 12-14 foot fences there from a distance. And I wasn't getting any closer either.

But I know one of the guys who lives in one around here from a restaurant we both eat at. Intelligent fellow too. But when it comes to politics he is about as wackadoodle as you can get. Still has his Romney/Ryan yard signs lining the entire front of his compound. One every few feet. He probably has about 20 of them along his fence line in front of his compound. I shake my head every time I drive by.

Anyone else have folks like this living near them?

Don

[doc03]

1. I don't know of any in this part of the country but most of Floriduh

seems to be a gated community if you look at real estate ads. The Villages in Floriduh
has like 80,000 plus retirees (about 80% Republican) it's like a compound. What is it with Republicans that they seem to be scared of everyone they consider (different)?

[Horse with no Name]

2. One of the whackadoodles in our area

spray painted the SIDE OF HIS HOUSE with Romney/Ryan.

I want to take a picture of it but no doubt they are fully armed.

[doc03]

3. There is one down the road from me that has upside down Obama/Biden signs in

his yard and an upside down flag on his porch.

[PATRICK]

4. There seem to be small steps toward this in a lot of developments

that are new, more valuable and economically upscale even with old rural or delapidated towns right next door. No access to mailboxes, then roads. More fences, more neighborhood watches, no soliciting etc. And finally walls. When you travel and see some that have gone to that definitive castling, it hits something in the gut, something sick. Fear/hate. It is something not worth that sort of protection. Even if it was keeping nature out, not just the lower classes, it is more than faintly disturbing. It shows an attitude of war against all that is outside, a laughable luxuriance not spiritually worth having at all.

[JCMach1]

5. The more the rift grows between rich and poor, the more you will see this. This is the norm

in countries like Kenya where law and order is broken and poverty and thuggery are every day realities.

[MADem]

31. Kenya? You see it in Europe, too! And the Carribean! nt

[whistler162]

6. Yeah about 15 miles down the road....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auburn_Correctional_Facility

[TlalocW]

7. I'm in a suburb of Kansas City, Kansas

Are the Westboro Baptist Group in Topeka close enough to be "around" me?

From what I understand, the church and its members all own houses on the same block so they have in essence a communal back yard, and I guess some houses are connected.

Anyway, I look forward to hearing the screams from 70 miles away when Fred Phelps dies, and his family discovers his hidden cache of hard-core gay porn.

TlalocW

[union_maid]

8. I guess there are compensations for living on Long Island

I'm pretty the zoning laws in our neck of the woods precludes paramilitary compounds of any kind, even in the most Republican neighborhoods.

[oneshooter]

9. I live on 40 acres. It is fenced (5', 5 strand barbed wire cattle fence ) and gated.

Do I live in a "compound"?

[Thor_MN]

10. There's a difference between fences to keep livestock in and fences to keep the boogeyman out...

[oneshooter]

23. The same fence can do both.

Every 4th post is painted purple.

[Thor_MN]

25. The non-existent things that hate radio tell people to fear don't know what purple paint is...

[Squinch]

30. What's the significance of the purple?

[msanthrope]

11. Yeah--I was driving by Osage Avenue the other day. That

compound scenario didn't end well.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

16. Philadelphia is one tough city.

[msanthrope]

18. So tough MOVE decamped to New Jersey....nt

[UnrepentantLiberal]

19. The one left that wasn't roasted.

[msanthrope]

20. 2. People always forget Birdie, who overcame the abuse he suffered

at the hands of MOVE and served his country honorably. He deserved the settlement he got from the City--what that poor boy endured from MOVE and the City in their horrific, negligent actions was inexcuseable.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

22. A horrific situation from all involved.

[madokie]

12. There used to be some over in western Arkansas

about 50 or so miles from here but I've not read anything about them in a few years so not sure if they still exist or not.
We have a compound of Monks near here who have 8 and 10 foot thick concrete walls around their compound but they don't seem to be a threat to anyone so they're pretty much left alone. I know a few people who have done work for them and they all say the same thing that they are nice enough and happily pay when the project is finished. Other than that I know of none.
Back in poppy's years there were some weirdos spotted in the woods near here but they've been long gone now.

[patrice]

28. Western Arkansas? the original Rainbow People? I'm pretty sure they didn't live in compounds, now...

Southeastern Arkansas, that's another matter. Time was you DID NOT GO down there, unless someone came and went in with you.

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. I vacationed in the UP right before the election in 2008

Saw lots and lots of Obama signs. Not many McCain signs at all.

[Baitball Blogger]

14. That must be the new meme. There are still many Romney yard signs up.

a couple of Obama signs too.

[Generic Other]

15. I used to live across the street from a convent

Carmelites who take a vow of silence. The father of two of the nuns was the city's symphony director. Once a year, the two nuns played a violin and cello duet in the garden. They did nothing but pray. And they did not give up the robes. Very sheltered nuns.

[bluedigger]

17. Just a Warren Jeffs compound in the next town over.

But they are okay, right?

[Squinch]

32. They're the scariest. They took over the municipal politics in that town in Texas where the

yearning for zion ranch is.

[bluedigger]

34. They're detestable, all right.

Luckily, there are probably too many tea partiers for them to make much inroads in local politics here.

[mythology]

21. I used to live near such a place

They had an electric fence, warnings that trespassers would be shot and a camera on the gated driveway.

I have no idea what their politics were though.

[LibertyLover]

24. No, thankfully I don't

although we do have a Maryland Grade 3 sex offender (the worst grade) living 3 houses from us and I have a ten year old daughter (his crime was rape of a minor child).

[DJ13]

26. Just a grow house surrounded by an 8ft plate steel fence, with dogs and cameras

Smells like skunk weed, blows down the road and permeates the air sometimes.

But no crazies like survivalists.

[patrice]

27. Two Libertarians I know left here to join a group in South Dakota. nt

[a geek named Bob]

29. Does having a fence, garden, generator and CB count?

I certainly hope so! I was thinking of getting some of those oh so stylish cammo outfits...

[Warpy]

33. No, I live in a very poor part of town

and my area is all hardscrabble Democratic.

The "compounds" I've known are the big properties with several summer homes on them owned by wealthy families. The Kennedys weren't the only family on Cape Cod with one.

I'm sure there are places in the more rural parts of this state that might fit your description. It's hard to say, though, this is a pretty poor state and that kind of fencing is really expensive.